1. Water Issues in Australia
Foreign Studies B/Academic English B
6 December 2016

2. (Who needs/uses water?)
Lecture Outline
Causes of water shortage in Australia
Investigating water usage and water problems from the viewpoint of three important stake holders (利害関係者): 1. 2. 3.
(Who needs/uses water?)

3. Lecture Outline Causes of water shortage in Australia
Investigating water usage and water problems from the viewpoint of three important stake holders (利害関係者):
1. Agriculture (and other industries)
2. Households (people)
3. The Environment (Australia’s most important river system, the Murray Darling River Basin)

4. Lecture Outline Causes of water shortage in Australia
Investigating water usage and water problems from the viewpoint of three important stake holders (利害関係者):
1. Agriculture (and other industries)
2. Households (people)
3. The Environment (Australia’s most important river system, the Murray Darling River Basin)

5. Part 1

6. Water Shortage – Causes1.

7. 1
Percentage of mean annual rainfall to VS to to to
From Water Account, Australia, , ABS

8. Percentage of mean annual rainfall 2008–09 VS 2009–10
From Water Account, Australia, , ABS

9. From 1301.0 – Year Book Australia, 2012, ABS (Environment, Water)

10. Water Shortage – Causes
Variable rainfall (dams in wrong places)
Long periods of no rainfall = __________ 3. 4.
 Water shortage

11. Water Shortage – Causes
Variable rainfall (dams in wrong places)
Long periods of no rainfall = drought 3. 4.
 Water shortage

12. Water Shortage – Causes
Variable rainfall (dams in wrong places)
Long periods of no rainfall = drought
Naturally dry environment
Overuse of water resources
Climate Change / Global Warming
 Water shortage

13. Water Shortage – Causes
Variable rainfall (dams in wrong places)
Long periods of no rainfall = drought
Naturally dry environment
Overuse of water resources
Climate Change / Global Warming
 Water shortage
How to prepare for a future with limited water?

14. Part 2

15. Part 2 Who consumes water the most in Australia?
What patterns in water consumption can we see between ?

16. 4610.0 Water Account, Australia, 2004-05, ABS

17. Water Consumption, Australia, 2008-20145
Water Consumption, Australia,
Water Account, Australia, , ABS

18. Part 2 Who consumes water the most in Australia?
What patterns in water consumption can we see between ?

19. The Agricultural Industry

20. The Agricultural Industry
What happens if the agriculture industry doesn’t have enough water?

21. The Agricultural Industry6
The Agricultural Industry
Water Shortage/ Drought
Decrease in crop harvests
Affects farms & farmers
Affects related businesses
Affects employment
Affects regional economies
Affects the national economy
Affects export partners

22. The Agricultural Industry

23. The Agricultural Industry
Inefficient / Over-use of water

24. The Agricultural Industry
Inefficient / Over-use of water
Irrigation

29. Sources of Agricultural Water7
Sources of Agricultural Water
Water Use On Australian Farms, , ABS

30. The Agricultural Industry
Inefficient / Over-use of water
Irrigation

31. The Agricultural Industry
Inefficient / Over-use of water
Irrigation
Solution:
Improving irrigation systems and methods
Using reuse (grey) water
Researching ways to grow more food with less water
Changing crops

32. Households

33. Households
Where do households use (waste) the most water?

34. 8

35. Households
What happens if households don’t have enough water?

36. Households
Solutions for water wastage in households:

37. Households Solutions for water wastage in households:
Water restrictions

38. Water Restrictions – Examples9
Water Restrictions – Examples

39. Water Restrictions

40. Households Solutions for water wastage in households:
Water restrictions
Rebate programs (e.g. encouraging households to install rainwater tanks & grey water (reuse water) systems)

41. Rainwater Tanks

42. Grey water (reuse water) systems

43. Grey water (reuse water) systems

44. Grey water (reuse water) systems

45. SOURCES OF WATER FOR HOUSEHOLDS10
SOURCES OF WATER FOR HOUSEHOLDS
– Australia’s Environment: Issues and Trends, Jan 2010 (Water Conservation)

46. HOUSEHOLDS WITH A RAINWATER TANK, 200711
HOUSEHOLDS WITH A RAINWATER TANK, 2007
Source: ABS, 2007, Environmental Issues: People's Views and Practices, March 2007 (cat. no ).
REASONS WHY HOUSEHOLD INSTALLED A RAINWATER TANK, 2007
– Australia’s Environment: Issues and Trends, Jan 2010 (Water Conservation)

47. HOUSEHOLD USE OF GREY WATER, 2007
GREY WATER AS THE MAIN SOURCE OF WATER FOR THE GARDEN, 2007
– Australia’s Environment: Issues and Trends, Jan 2010 (Water Conservation)

48. Households Solutions for water wastage in households:
Water restrictions
Rebate programs (e.g. encouraging households to install rainwater tanks & grey water (reuse water) systems)
Installation of water conservation devices

49. Water Conservation Devices

50. HOUSEHOLDS WITH WATER CONSERVATION DEVICES
Source: ABS, 2007, Environmental Issues: People's Views and Practices, March 2007 (cat. no ).
– Australia’s Environment: Issues and Trends, Jan 2010 (Water Conservation)

51. Households Solutions for water wastage in households:
Water restrictions
Rebate programs (e.g. encouraging households to install rainwater tanks & grey water (reuse water) systems)
Installation of water conservation devices
National water efficiency standards (indicate water efficiency of household appliances)

52. Water Efficiency Labels

53. Water Efficiency Labels

54. Collaboration between government, consumers and business
Households
Solutions for water wastage in households:
Water restrictions
Rebate programs (e.g. encouraging households to install rainwater tanks & grey water (reuse water) systems)
Installation of water conservation devices
National water efficiency standards (indicate water efficiency of household appliances)
Collaboration between government, consumers and business

55. The Environment

56. The Environment
What happens when a river suffers from a “water shortage”?

57. The Environment
Increasingly more understanding and concern about the health of rivers, and the effect of water shortages on the environment:

58. The Environment
Increasingly more understanding and concern about the health of rivers, and the effect of water shortages on the environment:
Rivers can “die” (irreversible damage to river bed chemistry)
Increased salinity content
Affects flora and fauna

59. The Environment
Solution?

60. The Environment Solution?
“Returning” water to the environment through the Murray-Darling Basin Plan

61. The Murray-Darling River Basin
Most important & biggest river system
Australia’s most important food-producing region (Australia’s “Food Bowl”)
Runs through 4 states and 1 territory

62. 12

63. 13

64. Water Storage in the Murray-Darling Basin July 2000 to June 200614
Water Storage in the Murray-Darling Basin July 2000 to June 2006
From the Year Book Australia

65. The Murray-Darling River Basin
Solution:
Murray-Darling Basin Plan
Returning 2750 gigalitres of water to the river system

66. The Murray-Darling River Basin
Solution:
Murray-Darling Basin Plan
Returning 2750 gigalitres of water to the river system
How do we “return water” to the environment?

67. The Murray-Darling River Basin
Solution:
Murray-Darling Basin Plan
Returning 2750 gigalitres of water to the river system
How do we “return water” to the environment?
Improving irrigation infrastructure
Buying water from irrigators and farmers

68. The Murray-Darling River Basin
Solution:
Murray-Darling Basin Plan
Returning 2750 gigalitres of water to the river system
How do we “return water” to the environment?
Improving irrigation infrastructure
Buying water from irrigators and farmers
Moving water from agriculture to the environment

69. The Murray-Darling River Basin
Solution:
Murray-Darling Basin Plan
Returning 2750 gigalitres of water to the river system
But, there are problems…
…different perspectives among the various stakeholders

73. The Murray Darling River Basin
Solution:
Murray Darling Basin Plan
Returning 2750 gigalitres of water to the river system
But… there are problems…
Environmentalists/States:
Farmers/States:
“It’s not enough! We need to return more water to the environment.”
“Whose water will be returned?
How will it affect our businesses and communities?”

75. The Murray Darling River Basin
Solution:
Murray Darling Basin Plan
Returning 2750 gigalitres of water to the river system
But… there are problems…
Environmentalists/States:
Farmers/States:
“It’s not enough! We need to return more water to the environment.”
“Whose water will be returned?
How will it affect our businesses and communities?”

76. The Murray Darling River Basin
Solution:
Murray Darling Basin Plan
Returning 2750 gigalitres of water to the river system
But… there are problems…
Environmentalists/States:
Farmers/States:
“It’s not enough! We need to return more water to the environment.”
“Whose water will be returned?
How will it affect our businesses and communities?”
Recent research is suggesting that some communities have been negatively affected by the Plan (e.g. increase in unemployment)

77. Concluding thoughts…

78. Selected References
Northern Basin Review: Technical Overview of the Socioeconomic Analysis – Interim Report, Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Australian Government, October 2016
ABS – Australia’s Environment: Issues and Trends, Jan 2010 (Water Conservation)
ABS – Water Use On Australian Farms,
ABS – Water Account, Australia,
ABS – Year Book Australia, 2012 (Environment, Water)
ABS – Water Account, Australia,
ABS – Water Account, Australia,
Plain English Summary of the Proposed Basin Plan—including explanatory notes, November 2011, Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Australian Government
ABS – Australia’s Environment: Issues and Trends, 2007 (Esp. Feature Article: Water in Australia)
ABS – Australia’s Environment: Issues and Trends, 2006
ABS – Year Book Australia, 2003 (Esp. Environmental views and behaviour)
ABS – Water Account, Australia,
ABS Year Book Australia
“Can Australia Overcome its Water Scarcity Problems?”, Colin Chartres and John Williams, Journal of Developments in Sustainable Agriculture 1: 17-24, 2006
Australian Government, National Water Commission,